February 14, 2018

Lorem ipsum and the Meaning of Life %u2013 How to Think Like a Roman Emperor. Lorem ipsum is a mangled Latin phrase taken from a Cicero text, and used in publishing as filler in graphic design applications. However, as Donald Robertson examines the actual Cicero text, the phrase acquires a subtext of meaning, and can be used to discuss the philosophers who pondered the meaning of life in early human history. Lorem is a piece of the word "dolorem", Latin for "pain". Ipsum means "very" in Latin. It is a nonsense phrase, taken out of context. However, the passage from Cicero that it comes from is a discussion of pain and pleasure, and humans' natural desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Of course, the Stoics tell us that pain is unavoidable, and the best way to deal with it is to welcome it as part of life, and to bear it with dignity. The Epicureans thought that pleasure was the ultimate good, and that it should be sought at all cost. Of course, as with all things, it gets complicated. Some find pleasure in pain, or the cessation of it. Some austere souls avoid pleasure, and find enjoyment in their austerity. Somewhere in all of this lies an understanding of life, and each of us gets to decide how we are going to live. This may be a roundabout way of getting to Valentine's Day wishes; but, you get to decide today whether you are going to accept the pain of your existence, as well as the pleasures the day provides, and get on with life, or curl up in a ball and avoid all sensations. I hope you decide to soldier on, and enjoy the day. It's the only one you've got.

February 06, 2018

A new theory based on quantum physics says there's life after death - Ideapod. What if the Stoics were right; but, there is an explanation for the basic truth that everything external to us is beyond our control; but, that the reason is that we control our perceptions? What if our world is a construct of our minds? Unlike the Matrix, it isn't a construct created by machines or computers; but, in fact, something our consciousness creates? Biocentrism is a theory that postulates that, when we die, we are merely pausing our current perception, and moving to another; one of an infinite number of possible realities. Physical death is just a passage from one reality to another. Call it Heaven, or call it God, we are our own Creators, and our reality is our own creation. Now, your brain can explode.

February 05, 2018

Execupundit.com: If You Do . . .. Life, and law practice, are lived one day at a time. Today is Monday, and you probably have a good idea of what has to be done. But, you could be wrong. As Execupundit says in this thought provoking piece, sometimes you won't know what is important until years later. But, of course, you don't know what you don't know. The answer is as easy as it it is inevitable. You have to decide right now. This minute. What is important to do today? Once you make the decision, stick with it. Make a list, if you have to. Now, go out and face the day.

January 30, 2018

When asked who failed to survive in the Vietnam POW camps, James Stockdale said the "optimists",because, after their hopes kept getting dashed, they died of a broken spirit. He survived because, while never losing hope at the final outcome, he dealt realistically with each day, and each situation. This dual philosophical approach to life informed his every moment, and he credited it to his survival after years of imprisonment.

"We will all experience disappointments and crushing events somewherealong the way, setbacks for which there is no "reason"; no one toblame. It might be a disease; it might be injury; it might be anaccident; it might be losing a loved one; it might be getting sweptaway in a political shake up; it might be getting shot down overVietnam and thrown into a POW camp for 8 years. What separatespeople, James Stockdale taught me, is not the presence or absence ofdifficulties, but how they deal with the inevitable difficulties oflife."

January 29, 2018

I saw this posted the other day, and it occurred to me that, on my worst Mondays, I found a way to be happy. Some of my retired friends are happy people, and some are not. Some Mondays I wake up happy, and sometimes it takes a while. Happiness isn't a product of your work history. It is a state of mind that you control. Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius all experienced far worse tragedy, illness and other problems that you or I ever have; and, they were able to have the wisdom to understand that it was their reaction to life that created or destroyed that elusive concept we call "happiness". I will likely never "retire"; yet, I would call myself happy. I have friends who are "happily" retired. So, what do I call a person who is happy on a Monday? Alive and above ground, and who knows where happiness comes from. Have a great week.

January 28, 2018

For obvious reasons, I have been thinking about grief and loss a lot lately. I have never really experienced grief before, so I count myself as one of the lucky ones. If you have, you know and understand what I am talking about. If you have not, tell yourself you are lucky, and prepare yourself for the inevitable. In the meantime, I really love the Stoic strategy explained in this Seneca quote. You really don't have to be a practicing Stoic to apply some of its wisdom to your life. In fact, I don't like the way some folks wear their philosophy on their sleeve. For me, it is just about living a good life by applying principles that make sense. Not complicated. Here is the quote:

"Inevitable as it is that the names of persons who were dear to us and are now lost should cause us a gnawing sort of pain when we think of them, that pain is not without a pleasure of its own... Thinking of departed friends is to me something sweet and mellow. For when I had them with me it was with the feeling that I was going to lose them, and now that I have lost them I keep the feeling that I have them with me still. You have buried someone you loved. Now look for someone to love. It is better to make good the loss of a friend than to cry over him... he whom we suppose to be dead and gone has merely been sent out ahead."

January 25, 2018

Execupundit.com: Lessons. This short post by Execupundit outlines a common life problem. We are faced with learning moments every day of our lives. Do we learn the lessons of past events? Or, do we blithely ignore the lessons life freely gives us, and become doomed to repeat the same errors? The last client? The last hearing? The experience with the Doctors and the Hospitals? The interactions with friends and family? The events that are negative? The events that are positive? The Stoics tell us that all prior events, and all current events are to be learned from; but, ignored as indifferents. It isn't easy to be indifferent to good events or bad events. But, we must be indifferent to them if we are to live happily. Learn the lessons of the past; but, every night, put them away. You have tomorrow to live.

January 23, 2018

Charles Bukowski Rails Against 9-to-5 Jobs in a Brutally Honest Letter (1986) | Open Culture. While my entire working life has been as a practicing lawyer, I am certain that this Charles Bukowski letter can be applied to any job or even profession. We talk about law and medicine and accounting as "professions", as if the word can provide some dignity to our lives. But, whether you are a professional, or work in some other job, you can still be a wage slave if you are subject to the rules and whims of another human being. I suspect that there are many BigLaw jobs that qualify for the wage slave designation. As a solo, my only boss is me, and I only serve my clients. But, they are not the boss of me, and I can fire them if I want to. Read this letter and ask yourself if Bukowski is speaking to you. Of course, don't mimic his alcohol addiction. Find an addiction like mine (computers and gadgets) that will only damage your wallet.

Lawyer,Poet, author, educator. Practices real property, corporation, wills, trusts and estates law in Pinellas County, Florida. Writes the FutureLawyer column. Gives seminars on technology and the law. Author of "Life is Simple, Really", Poems about Life, Loving, Family and Fun.